Allegation of racism at Indiana basketball game with Trump Fathead

Students hold up a Donald Trump Fathead at an Indiana basketball game (Photo: Facebook)

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump made an appearance at another high school basketball game, this time in the form of a Fathead.

The Trump Fathead and a sign that read ESPN Deportes are part of allegations of racism and hate speech being made against the student section at Andrean High (Merrillville, Ind.) for action during Friday night’s game. The opponent, Bishop Noll (Hammond), has a largely Latino student population.

In a Facebook post that had been shared more than 2,100 times as of early Saturday morning, Ashley Howard wrote this and tagged multiple media outlets.

“Tonight at the Bishop Noll vs. Andrean (both private catholic high schools) basketball game, the Andrean ‘super fan’ section repeatedly help up a sign that reads ‘ESPN DEPORTES’ and a fathead poster of Donald Trump. Bishop Noll’s student body has a great majority of Latino students. And due to the outrageous and racist remarks made in the media by Donald Trump the sign is extremely offensive (as it is meant to be). I ask you….. What kind of administration allows its students to support HATE SPEECH and RACISM openly at a school sponsored event……. A catholic school at that. The two school are always extremely competitive against each other, HOWEVER when do we as adults, teachers, parents, and principals teach the youth what is inappropriate. Is the bible really the backbone of your catholic school when you allow more than unsportsmanlike behavior, you allow your students to taunt with racism. Like and share this post.”

Howard told USA TODAY High School Sports that her younger brother previously attended and played basketball at Noll and a cousin is a freshman at the school and plays basketball. She is also the varsity volleyball coach at Morton High. Howard said she has had no contact with the administration from either school.

Steve Hanlon from The Times of Northwest Indiana wrote that the Andrean students chanted “build the wall, build the wall” and that Noll students countered with “we’re bilingual.” He added, “Smiles were on all the faces as this back and forth went on.”

Another report from the Times, however, said that the “build the wall” chants were answered with “you’re a racist. The report also indicated that Andrean students responded by pointing to the African-American students in their own section and the Noll students yelled back, “you’re a token.”

Multiple school officials at Andrean did not return email requests for comment Saturday. A Noll said school official said the incident would be dealt with internally and declined further comment.